Personal Care and Service
Recreation Workers
Conduct recreation activities with groups in public, private, or volunteer agencies or recreation facilities. Organize and promote activities, such as arts and crafts, sports, games, music, dramatics, social recreation, camping, and hobbies, taking into account the needs and interests of individual members.
Also called: Activities Assistant, Activities Director, Activity Aide, Activity Assistant, Activity Coordinator, Activity Director
- Median pay in Greater Boston
- $38,770
- $18.64/hr
- Jobs in Greater Boston
- 8,720
- Massachusetts 2024–2034
- +7.0%
- 2,330 openings a year
- Typical U.S. entry requirement
- High school diploma or equivalent
- plus Short-term on-the-job training
Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.
Pay range in Greater Boston
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $32,910 | $36,640 | $38,770 | $45,710 | $50,580 |
10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.
What you’d do
- Enforce rules and regulations of recreational facilities to maintain discipline and ensure safety.
- Organize, lead, and promote interest in recreational activities, such as arts, crafts, sports, games, camping, and hobbies.
- Assess the needs and interests of individuals and groups and plan activities accordingly, given the available equipment or facilities.
- Manage the daily operations of recreational facilities.
- Administer first aid according to prescribed procedures and notify emergency medical personnel when necessary.
- Complete and maintain time and attendance forms and inventory lists.
AI and this job
AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.
Moderate exposure44 of 100
The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:
- AIOE 40
- Language-model AIOE 50
- GPTs-are-GPTs 43
Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)
AI exposure for this job is moderate, and observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools may help with planning activities, promoting events, and handling facility paperwork or schedules. Leading groups, keeping people safe, and giving first aid are hands-on work that AI tools do not do.
Likely to change
- Planning activities and building schedules
- Promoting events and writing announcements
Still relies on people
- Leading groups and keeping people engaged
- Enforcing safety rules and giving first aid
Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.
Next steps from here
Related jobs that build on what you already do.
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
You already lead group activities and adapt them to different people. Fitness instruction builds on that and has a higher Boston median pay of $65,190.
- Pay difference
- +$26,420 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +14.0%
- To get started
- High school diploma or equivalent
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Assessing individual needs and helping people directly carry over. This role offers a bit higher pay, $40,910, and projected growth of 12.8%.
- Pay difference
- +$2,140 median
- AI exposure
- Moderate
- MA growth
- +12.8%
- To get started
- High school diploma or equivalent
Nursing Assistants
Your first aid training and safety awareness carry over to patient care. Pay is higher, at $47,590, but this role needs a postsecondary nondegree award.
- Pay difference
- +$8,820 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +3.7%
- To get started
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Training near Boston
College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).
No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.
Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.
Related occupations
- Recreational Therapists
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Instructional Coordinators
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers
- Residential Advisors
- First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services
- Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
Talk to a career coach
A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.
Talk to a career coach